Special-needs woman found tied up in Philadelphia basement

Philadelphia police found a woman with special needs tied up in a basement belonging to her designated caretaker, KYW-TV reported on Saturday.

The unidentified 36-year-old woman was reportedly found with sores on her body, covered in urine and feces and in apparent malnourishment. Authorities said she has not been diagnosed, but had a very limited vocabulary. She was cut free and taken to a local hospital, while her caretaker, identified by WPVI-TV as going by the name “Regina,” was arrested on Friday night following an unrelated fight with a neighbor, Liza Figuroa. No charges have been filed as of Saturday evening.

“The gate on her side was broken; she always wanted to make sure nobody came on her side,” Figueroa told KYW. Police searched the caretaker’s home after being told there might be a child living there.

The caretaker’s cousin, who identified herself as “Phyllis,” told WPVI she wanted to get more details about the case.

“She’s been taking care of her practically all her life,” Phyllis said to WPVI. “I talked to her last night and she was fine.”

About the Author

Arturo R. García is the managing editor at Racialicious.com. He is based in San Diego, California and has written for both print and broadcast media, including contributions to GlobalComment.com, The Root and Comment Is Free. Follow him on Twitter at @ABoyNamedArt